Automatic electric time switch



Oct. 14, 1930. THOMAS 1,778,093

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Filed June 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2? munuunnuunuuuunlll -muum Fig.5.

1 INVENTOR Jafifl I. Jfiwzzaa.

ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1930. .1. THOMAS AUTOMATI C ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Filed June 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR O Jbflfl Z. Thwnas.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1930 JOHN L. THOMAS, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Application filed June 19,

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in circuit making and breaking switches which are operated by time controlled means either to open or close an electric circuit as may be desired.

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple switch, preferably of the snap type, so compactly arranged that it may be mounted as a unit on an ordinary alarm clock to be operated by the alarm-winding shaft; to provide a simple way of attaching the switch unit to the clock; to provide a switch unit which can be used in both low-power circuits and ordinary house lighting and heating circuits up to 660 watts, 230' volts; to provide aswitch unit of such design that the current controlled thereby will not flow through the clock works and clock case and (except for the connecting plugs) the switch unit will have no live parts to shock the user; to provide a combined clock and switch unit which. can be taken fro place to place and from one circuit to another at will and as needed; to provide a switch with setting mechanism as a unit whereby the switch maybe set either to turn the current off or to turn it on at a particular time desired.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel details of construction and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out, in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an alarm clock with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinalsection of the switch unit and so much of the clock as is necessary to show their connection.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the switch block and parts mounted therein, the back shell being removed.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 4, the front shell being removed.

fFigu-re 6 is a front elevation of the switch 1928. Serial No. 289,675.

block showing the bearing bushing molded therein and the fixed contacts mounted thereon.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the pawl plate.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the switch shaft and the snap switch elements mounted thereon.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a detail section showing one of the contact plug terminals and the socket in the switch block in which that terminal is mounted.

' Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of the front shell showing the ratchet teeth.

Figure 12 is a detail perspective view of that portion of the clock body which has the collar.

Figure 13 is a. plan view of the ratchet collar.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, 1 represents the switch base which is composed of insulation such as vulcanized rubber fibre, bakelite, etc. The back of the base is recessed as at 2'and the front is recessed asat 7 leaving a web in which is molded a metallic block 3 having at one side a squared face t and formedwith a ratchet 5. This block 3 is drilled axially and hushed at 6 to form a bearing for the switch shaft 21 hereinafter again referred to. On the. front of the switch base 1 there 'is provided a flange 8, the purpose of which will presently appear.

Secured to the back face of the base 1 b feet 10 and bolt and nuts 11 is a ratchet col lar 9," the edge of which is provided with ratchet teeth 9 as shown. Mounted on the flange 8 are the fixed switch contact members 12 which may be of the usual construction common in snap type switches and which are held in place by suitable screw devices 13.

Screwed into recesses in the base 1 are metallic terminal sockets 14 which are themselves internally threaded to receive the threaded ends of the plug contact fingers 16 that also serveto clamp the connecting wires 15 to the sockets 14 and effect a good electrical contact. The wires 15 connect the terminal sockets 14'to the respective switch contact members 12, the wires being secured to the contact members 12 by screws, or

solder as may be desired. Where the longer wire 15 passes through the recess 7 it is preferably enclosed in an insulated tube 17 to prevent moving parts chafing the insulation rom the wire and possibly causing a short circuit.

Associated with the ratchet 5 is a pawl plate 18 having a pawl finger 19 and being provided with an elongated cam-slot 20, the latter being adapted to receive the releasing cam 22 which is secured on and turns with the switch shaft 21. The switch shaft 21 has bearing in a movable contact carrier and pawl holder 23 .whose flanges 24 embrace the pawl plate 18 and prevent its turning with respect to the member 23.

The movable contact carrier and pawl holder 23 has cars 25 to which the ears of the movable contact arm 26 are secured by rivets 27, suitable insulation 28 being provided .to insulate the contact arm 26 from the member 23 and shaft 21, etc.

The member 23 has a finger 29 struck out .to act as a spring end holder against which one end of the coil spring 31 that is mounted on thesleeve 30 on the shaft 21 may engage, the other end of the spring engages with the spring end retainer 32 that is rotatable with aft 21. The shaft 21 projects a suifiof wlndlng up the alarm.

the s cient distance beyond thespring end retainer socket 52 hereinafter again referred to.

Mounted on the shaft 21 are suitable washers 33 and jam nuts 34 which serve to hold the shaft in place in the bearingbush; ing 6. 35 is another metallicj washer which: abuts against a fibre washer 36 having male; and female connection with a second fibre.

washer 37 between which the metallic ratchet 45 Plhorder to hold the ratchet lever immovable on the shaft a washer 39 and nut 40 are proe vided whereby the washers 37 and 36 may be drawn tightly toward each other to clampthe ratchet lever 38.

On the end of the shaft 21 is a roller 4 of fibre or other suitable insulation, the roller projecting. beyond the end of the shaft so as to prevent the shaft from coming into con- 58 tact with the cap 42 that constitutes a bearmg for the roller 41 and supports the adjacent end of the'shaft 21.

' The cap 42 is secured by suitable screws tothe rear cover shell 43, xzvh-ich-izras a portion of its periphery knurled in orderto .af-

ford a gripping surface, by means of which the shell 43 can be rotated.

The shell43 is provided with oblique cam slots 44 through. which the ratchet lever 38 as projects. The ratchet lever has its ends bent 32 to enable it to be screwed into the threaded from the ratchet edge of the sleeve 47 and is tu'rned tobringthe-pointers 60 opposite 21 to cause the switch to snap from the circuit over and pointed to constitute pointers for a purpose presently explained.

The front shell 45 hereinbefore referred to fits over the flange 8 and is secured in place by suitable bolts 46. It has a reduced 70 ratchet sleeve 47 which is adapted to project into the collar 54 that is soldered, brazed or otherwise permanently secured to the back wall of the clock 48. The sleeve 47 has its edge provided with ratc'het teeth which engage with the ends of a spring lever 57, loosely mounted on the insulated coupling and having its ends projected through the slots and 56.

The alarm winder shaft 49 of the clock 48 (which may be of the usual construction) is connected to the shaft 21 by means of an insulating coupling 50. This coupling 50 has a threaded metallic socket 51 in one end and a similar socket 52 in the other end securedby suitable cross pins 53, the socket 51 screwing onto the shaft 49 and the shaft 21 screwing into the socket 52 to effect the coupling. The short pins 53 which secure the socket 50 do not pass through the shaft 21 while the long pin 53 which secures the socket 51 does pass through the shaft 49. The spring lever 57 normally lies with its end in the deep portions 55 of the slots in the collar 54 and engages the ratchet edge of 95 i the ratchet sleeve 47 to hold the sleeve from When it is desired to disconnect the switch unit from the clock the spring lever 57 has its end depressed and brought into the shallow portions 56 of the slots in the collar 54,

which will hold the spring lever disengaged permit the unit to be unscrewed from the socket 52.

On. the other oi' peripheral surface of the lever 38 is held insulated from the shaft 21.

11o cooperate with the graduatlon pointers 60 on the shell 43 and with the pointer ends of the ratchet lever38. By turning the shell 43 always in a counterclockwise direction to -bring its point 60 in register with the on or oif-graduations 59 and 60 the switch can be set to operate. For example if the pointer ends of the ratchet lever 38 are opposite the on indications 58 that shows that the switchis in a position to close the 1 5 circuit. Now when it is desired to have the switch automatically open the circuit at the predetermined time atwvhich the alarm mechanism of the clock has been set, the shell 43 3.25 the off indication 59. Then when the proper time has arrived to release the alarm mechanism of the clock the turning of the shaft 49 will effect a turning of the shaft closed or on position to the circuit open or off position. The ratchet lever on arriving at the OE position will be engaged by one of the teeth 9 of the ratchet collar 9 and be prevented from turning further,

thus stopping the operation of the alarm mechanism as well as that of the switch.

When the shell 43 is set, t-he slots 44, through which the ratchet lever 37 projects, serve to release said lever from engaging the ratchet teeth previously engaged by it so that when the alarm goes off again the shaft 21 will be free to turn until the switch snaps over and the lever 38 engages the next ratchet teeth, it being understood that there are two slots 44 diametrically opposite each other and the lever 38 has its ends projecting through the respective slots.

In order to wind the alarm mechanism it is only necessary to turn the base member 1 in a counterclockwise direction (looking from front to back).

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, effective and inexpensive switch unit that can be attached to almost any type of alarm clock. It can be made in various sizes for different uses as will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art. 7

The invention is useful in many ways, as for instance it can be used to start a radio automatically in the morning in place of the disagreeable alarm bell,-making the alarm clock musical, or it can be used to shut off the radio after a person has retired for the night; it is useful in connection with battery chargers since it can be used to regulate the number of hours that the charger .is charging the battery, depending on the varying demand of current from the battery from day to day; it can be used as a program selector, to pick out any program in preference to any other at the right time; it can be used toput on lights in the house, garage, porch, driveway, barns, stables, chicken houses, etc. it can be used with electric ovens and heaters in the kitchen and house, the laboratory, the shop, and the factory, and in all cases where a switch must be on or off at a certain time.

It will also be seen from the foregoing description that" no current can pass through the clock or the body of the switch because the shaft 21 is insulated from the body of the switch and the switch blade is insulated from the shaft. Thus there is no danger of get ting shocks when the apparatus is used on circuits of sufiicient potential to injure one.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. it is thought the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is: I I

1. In combination witli an alarm clock having an alarm winding shaft; a combined circuit opening and closing switch and alarm winding up unit mounted on the clock; said unit includin means operable by the alarm winding sha t for opening and closing an electric circuit; and means constituting a part of said unit for setting the unit to operate to either open or close the circuit as desired, said last named means comprising a relatively fixed ratchet collar, aratchet lever movable with said winding shaft, and a cam element mounted to turn with respect to said collar and cooperating with collar and lever as an adjustable stop.

2. In combination with an alarm clock having an alarm winding shaft; a combined circuit opening and closing switch and alarm winding up unit mounted on the clock; said unit including means operable by the alarm winding shaft for opening and closing an electric circuit; and means constituting a part of said unit for setting the unit to operate to either open or close the circuit as desired, said last named means comprising a member rotatable with said winding shaft and an adjustable stop associated with said member to arrest the switch action at either the open or closed position accordingly as said stop is set to one or another position.

3. In combination with an alarm clock having a body and an alarm winding shaft; a combined circuit switch and alarm shaft winder unit including a switch shaft; means to couple said shafts together; means to mount said unit on said body including a latch member on the body and a ratchet body on said unit, said ratchet member being associated with said latch member and means to hold said latch member withdrawn from said ratchet member when desired for the purposes specified.

4. In combination with an alarm clock having a body and an alarm winding shaft; a combined circuit switch and alarm shaft winder unit including a switch shaft; means including a screw-connected insulating coupling for joining said shafts; means to mount said unit on said clock body and including means permitting bodily rotation of said unit around the axes of said shafts to screw the couplingtogether and to wind said winding shaft; and means to restrain bodilyrotation of said unit in the opposite direction.

5, In combination with an alarm clock having a body and an alarm winding sha-ft; a combined circuit switch and alarm shaft winder unit including a'switch shaft; means including a screw-connected insulating coupling for joining said shafts means to mount said unit on said clock body and including means permitting bodily rotation of said unit around the axesof said shafts to screw the coupling together and to wind said winding shaft; and means torestrain bodily rotation of said unit in the opposite direction,

said restraining means comprising a ratchet on said unit and a sprin latch-pawl on said body normally engaged said ratchet.

6; In combination with an alarm clock havin -a body and an alarm winding shaft; a com ined circuit switch and alarm shaft winder unit including a switch shaft; means including a screwconnected insulating coupling for joining said shafts; means to mount said unit on said clock body and includin means permitting bodily rotation of sai unit around the axes of said shafts to screw the coupling together and to windsaid winding shaft; and means to restrain bodily rotation of said unit in the opposite direction, said restraining means comprising a ratchet on said unit and a sprin latch-pawl on said body normally engaged by said ratchet, and

means on said body to hold said spring latchpawl away from said ratchet when it is desired, to effect disconnection of said unit from said body. I

7 In alarm clock operated switches, a unit comprising an insulation base; a pair of fixed contact members mounted on said base;

a switch shaft journalled. in a bearing in said base and carryinga movable contact arm, said shaft adapted for coupling to the alarm winding shaft of an alarm clock so as to turn therewith; a front shell secured to said base'and provisions for mounting it on -the clock; a stop member mounted on said base; a stop lever carried by said switch shaft to engage with said stop member to arrest'said contactarm at its circuit open and circuit closed positions; and means associat- L ed with said stop member and stop lever for setting said lever to permit either a circuit openmg or a circuit closing operation of said contact arm accordinglyl as said means is set to one position or another.

8. In alarm clock operated switches, a unit comprising an insulation base; a pair of fixed contact members mounted on said base; a switch shaft journalled ina bearing in said base and carrying a movable contact arm, said shaft adapted for couplin to the alarm winding shaft of an alarm c ock so as to turn therewith; a front shell secured to said base and provisions for mounting it on the clock;'a stop member mountedv on said base; a stop lever carried by said switch shaft to engage with said stop member to arrest said contact arm at its circuit open of fixed contact members mounted on said base; a switch shaft journalled in a bearing in said baseand carrying a movable contact arm, said shaft ada ted for coupling to the alarm winding sha of an alarm clock so as to turn therewith; a front shell secured to said base and provisions for mounting it on the clock; a stop member mounted on said base; a ratchet collar secured to said base; a ratchet lever secured to said switch shaft and associated with said collar; a shell 'rotatably mounted over said collar and hav-- ing cam slots into which the ends of said ratchet lever project, said shelladapted on rotation to move said ratchet lever out of holding engagement with said ratchet collar thereby to permit said switch shaft and ratchet lever to rotate from one position to the next.

10. In alarm clock operated switches, a unit comprising an insulation base; a pair of a fixed contact members mounted on said base; a switch shaft journalled in a bearing in said base and carrying a movable contact arm, said shaft adapted for coupling to the alarm Winding shaft of an alarm clock so as to turn therewith; a front shell secured to said baseand provisions for mountingit on the clock; a stop member mounted on said base;a ratchet collar' secured to said base; a ratchet-lever secured to said switch shaft and associated with said collar; a shell rotatablymounted over said collar and having I a bearing for one end of said switch shaft, and having cam slots into which the ends of said ratchet lever project, saidshell adapted on rotation to move said ratchet lever out of dholding engagement with said ratchet collar thereby to permit said switch shaft and ratchet lever to the next.

11'. In alarm clock operated switches, a unit comprising an insulation base; a pair of fixed contact members mounted on said base; a switch shaft journalled in a bearing in said base and carrying a movable contact arm, said shaft adapted-for coupling to the alarm winding shaft of an alarm clock so as to turn therewith; a front shell secured to said base and provisions for mounting it on the clock; astop member mounted on said base; a ratchet collar secured to said base; a ratchet lever secured to saidswitch'shaft and associated with said collar; a shell rotatably mounted over said collar and having cam slots into which the ends of said ratchet lever project, said shell adapted on rotation to move said ratchet-lever out of holding en-l gagement' with said ratchet collar thereby to E permit said switch shaft and ratchet lever to rotate from one position to the next, circuit terminal plug members carried by said insulated base and electrically connected to said fixed contacts respectively, said memrotate from one position to 105 bers including terminal sockets and plug contact fingers screwed into said sockets.

12. In combination with an alarm clock having an alarm winding shaft, the end of which projects to the outside of the casing of the clock; a unit mounted on the clock over the projecting end of said shaft, said unit comprising a casing enclosing a switch operable by the alarm winding shaft for opening and closing an electric circuit, said unit being movable as a knob for turning the alarm winding shaft to wind up the alarm. 13. In combination with an alarm clock having an alarm winding shaft, the end of which projects to the outside of the casing of the clock; a unit mounted on the clock over the projecting end of said shaft, said unit comprising a casing enclosing a switch operable by the alarm winding shaft for opening and closing an electric circuit, said unit being movable as a knob for turning the alarm Winding shaft to wind up the alarm, and,

means constituting a part of said unit for setting the unit to operate to either open or close the circuit as desired.

' JOHN L. THOMAS. 

